Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: 2019 Rainy Day Report
Unfortunately, a lot of the normal Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party entertainment was cancelled or modified. The first Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade ran in modified form, while the second was cancelled with the Rainy Day Christmas Cavalcade in its place.
Every single Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration was cancelled. All of the showings of A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas that we tried to see were cancelled. Fortunately, the new Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks were not cancelled.
Unfortunately, they might as well have been. Technically, this was our second time seeing the Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks, as we had previously watched an early morning test from Disney’s Contemporary Resort. However, it’s also the second time we didn’t get the full effect of the show.
This time, that was because wind and rain combined to form the perfect storm of negative conditions, causing smoke to significantly impair visibility. If you watched the Disney Parks Blog Live Stream, you already know this–but it wasn’t any better in person.
In fact, we were directly in front of one of Walt Disney World’s camera crews–pretty close to Cinderella Castle–and we could barely see half of the projections. There were points when we couldn’t see the pyro at all, and could barely make out Cinderella Castle. I’ve never experienced anything like that.
Between the projections being obscured and rear pyro shrouded by smoke, it’s impossible to offer a credible review of Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks. I want to think that I liked the music, but there are two impediments to that. First, I was so busy fighting the losing battle of keeping my lens dry (I don’t even know why I bothered, the photos are all garbage anyway), that I was a bit preoccupied.
Second, so much of Christmas music is about sentimentality and nostalgia for me, and that’s impossible to have on a first listen. I know Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” is one of those songs that it’s cool to hate, but I love it. (Again, sentimentality and nostalgia.) My first impression is that I like the way this was weaved through the show in a way that’s both catchy and original.
With that said, Holiday Wishes has what’s perhaps an insurmountably high bar for me. While I had almost zero attachment to regular Wishes or even HalloWishes, Holiday Wishes is a totally different story. “Spirit of the Season” is one of my favorite Christmas songs–not just Disney Christmas songs, any of them.
I realize new projection mapping technology and Happily Ever After made Holiday Wishes look antiquated. I’m happy it stuck around for a couple of extra years longer than I expected. In my dream scenario, Holiday Wishes would’ve been updated with new projection mapping and effects.
However, I’m also a staunch advocate for Walt Disney World replacing entertainment more frequently. I’d be a hypocrite if I complained about a dated, decade-plus old fireworks show sticking just because of my sentimentality. Part of the bargain of new entertainment is saying goodbye to old favorites without grousing about it.
In any case, I couldn’t see much of Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks and I haven’t heard enough of the soundtrack yet for it to have made an impression. Who knows? Maybe this new show will surpass Holiday Wishes for me. I’m guessing it won’t, but I’ll have a full review after we see it again.
As noted above, the first Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade ran in modified form. This means a few performers are relocated, but the parade is mostly the same as normal. If you haven’t seen it several times, you probably wouldn’t notice.
The biggest difference is actually the lack of snow on Main Street. For photography, this is a huge loss. Not only does the snow look great in photos, but it also helps conceal noise due to high ISOs.
Given the entertainment cancellations, most of our time was spent back in Frontierland. Even while it was raining, the Country Bears were outside–because they’re consummate professionals who are dedicated to their shenanigans and making guests happy.
Once the Disney Deluge got more intense, they relocated to inside the Diamond Horseshoe. Of course, the antics continued in there.
We’ve stressed this in numerous party reports, but it nonetheless bears reiterating: the Country Bears offer the absolute best meet & greet at the Christmas Party.
Not only are they free roaming and fun, but they never have a line and offer genuine and amusing interactions. It’s not simply a matter of churning through guests for a posed photo as quickly as possible.
If this doesn’t sound appealing because your kids “don’t know who these bears are,” there’s an easy remedy for that: do Country Bear Jamboree repeatedly until they’re know and adore each and every bear.
Not only is Country Bear Jamboree one of the greatest attractions at Walt Disney World, but it’s one that builds character. It’s sort of like edutainment, except for the personality. But I digress.
Given that this Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party was sold out, we anticipated a lengthy discussion of attendance, congestion, and that sort of thing. It’s clearly a topic of interest, as evinced in the 130 comments to our recent Is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Too Crowded? post.
Unless the attendance cap was lowered for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party–and that is a possibility if guest feedback on MNSSHP was bad enough–it stands to reason that the same issue would be present for the Christmas Party. If anything, it’d be worse; MVMCP tends to have more sold out nights and occurs during a busier time of year.
However, it’s impossible to say based upon the first night. Although this Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party sold out weeks ago, it never really felt busy aside from on Main Street and the hub between A Frozen Holiday Wish and the first Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade.
This could have been due to the overlays and offerings better distributing attendance throughout the park. The more plausible scenario is that it was due to the rain.
We did notice a mass exodus of crowds both after the first parade and the fireworks. It was definitely much more pronounced than anything we witnessed this year at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. To the contrary, more guests than normal hung around later into the Halloween event this year. Again, there’s no explanation for the difference aside from the rain.
Later in the evening, we could’ve met several characters–ones that normally have long lines–with no waits. However, we were already soaked and disheveled at that point, and didn’t really have much desire for photos looking like we’d fallen into the castle moat and dragged ourselves out. (We’re assuming other guests shared in our sentiment, thus explaining no lines for the characters.)
Accordingly, I’ll withhold commentary on crowds until we have a chance to attend another party. I’d encourage anyone reading this to leave their own feedback on crowds (for the most useful feedback, please include the date you attended and what year, if at all, you last attended MVMCP) at future Mickey’s Very Christmas Party nights, though.
Ultimately, we had an enjoyable evening at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, all things considered. A big part of that is the fact that we’ve done most of this before, and will have a chance to do it all again. If we were first-time, one and done guests, we definitely would’ve been disappointed about all of the entertainment cancellations and modifications.
Obviously, Walt Disney World cannot control the weather. It’s all about making the most of the situation, offering alternatives, and counter-programming that’s not cancelled due to the rain. The good news is that there’s plenty of that. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party offers a ton of exclusive entertainment–more than you could ever done in a single night of the event.
A lot of that is indoors, or can be moved indoors due to inclement weather. The bad news is that the unequivocal highlights are the parade, fireworks, and stage show. Without those, you’re definitely not getting the full Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party experience. We’ll be doing another party in early December, and will report back on our evening then!
For comprehensive tips for planning your Christmas-time trip to Walt Disney World, check out our Ultimate Guide to Christmas at Walt Disney World. For Walt Disney World trip planning tips and comprehensive advice, make sure to read our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide and related articles.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Did you attend opening night of the 2019 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World? Did you make the most of the rain, or call it an early night? If you’re stumbling upon this post later, what was your experience with crowds at MVMCP? Any thoughts of your own to add? Agree or disagree with my assessment of the event? Hearing from you is half the fun, so if you have questions or comments, please share below!
Well it’s April 15 and we are in a “stay at home” state. YES we did attend the first MVMCP in November 2019 and YES we were soaked. We had 10 in our party, including a 1 yr old, 9 & 10 year old. Some of us tried to stick it out but we really missed out on the majority of the fun of the party. We have attended one in the past and as I’ve read more about it, I feel like we missed 85% of the fun. We were staying an additional 4 days and had I known to ask, we might have been able to attend the Monday night party. What a terrible disappointment.
I’m so surprised to see the Frozen Holiday Wish left out. That was the most magical memory I have from when our daughter was younger. The joy on her face was worth every penny of the Christmas party ticket!
The photos in this post make me crave another “Sarah’s style” post! I want to know what sandals she’s wearing for the rain and how she keeps her hair so un-frizzy in florida 🙂
We were there for the first party. We had ponchos but our wet shoes and the outdoor queues were a misery. I did not like space mountain–all they did was change the stars from white to green and red and add music, and the lights were a bit too bright exposing everything that was meant to stay hidden on that ride. I did like the low wait times which I am sure were aided by the weather but it definitely did not feel festive!
We were in Epcot on the 8th In the rain and saw the “watered down” version of EPCOT Forever which was a disappointment. We were fortunate enough to attend the Christmas party on Nov 12th and had a wonderful time. The crowds were very manageable. We were able to meet all the characters that we had hoped for, including Santa Goofy.
The new fireworks show is incredible! We go every year and sometimes experiment with watching them from various locations such as the Treehouse, Fantasyland and last year with my kids sound asleep at the tables at Sleepy Hollow. This year we found a spot right in the hub and I was so grateful that we did. We stayed in this spot for the second parade and even though we missed the snow , it was Just so beautiful seeing the characters and floats with the illuminated castle as the backdrop. It truly was a wonderful night.
Deluge is right ! I was there with my family , it was the first party we had ever attended and our last night in WDW. We trudged through and made it till the end , hoping the rain would end at some point , but alas, it never did.
We still had fun riding the jingle cruise, people mover, space mountain, and buzz light year , got to meet my favs Judy hopps and slick nick, and doing laps through the empty cookie lines (at least we were stocked up on snacks for the flight back?) , but without the fireworks , Christmas shows, or parade (we STUPIDLY skipped the first one) , it did feel like a big bust and not the joy filled spectacular we were hoping for to kick off the holiday season. Oh well – I’m sure we’ll try again someday !
Btw I’m a big, big fan of this blog and thought you guys might be there for the first party and was super jazzed when I saw Sarah’s post earlier in the week at Wilderness Lodge where we were staying ! I kept a lookout but never saw you although based on your photos we must have been nearby during the fireworks! Was hoping to thank you in person for years of help and entertainment ! 🙂
Hey has anyone ever watched the fireworks from the top deck of Swiss Family Treehouse ? Seems like could be a good view from there … wonder if it’s a popular spot ?
I was there. It was wet. SO wet. But my husband and I left the kidlet and grandma safely in the room and made the best of it. We had a blast sailing through rides, navigating the light crowds and laughing till our sides hurt at the “absurdity of it all”. Honestly, one of the best times of a 9-day long WDW vacation!
I took my oldest to the final Halloween party of the season November 1st. A couple months ago I realized I had committed an egregious parenting fail when my 9 year old told me he has never seen Country Bears. It was my intent to correct this at the Halloween party, which was our only park time on this trip. However, I did not realize that the Jamboree closed at 6:00!! We arrived about 6:20 to this discovery, and I realized I would have to continue to accept this failure a bit longer. I drowned my sorrows in a dole whip and a walk through the treehouse. Until next time, Country Bears…
I have the same problem with the evening parties. We did both this year by careful scheduling of our ten day trip. Not only are several attractions limited or closed early but all the sit down food apparently also closes. We had a three year old and wanted real food and not walk up burgers and fries but found nothing available. When the park is sold out you would think it would be wise to keep everything open. Especially at the prices for the party.
We just returned from the same length of trip – over both party weekends and Food & Wine. I too was disappointed in the lack of services open (and the lines for what is) during the party hours in light of the size of the crowd. Lesson learned.
We were at the third MVMCP on 12th November 2019. In our opinion it was too crowded and we did not wait in line for any rides although to be fair after 11pm it would have been easier for some. We chose a spot near Liberty Square for the first parade as we were in that area at the time the crowds starting to line up ready. I started out with a good view, being on a mobility electric scooter but not in an area roped off for wheelchairs etc. I will second your suggestion to watch both shows as an extremely large, tall man proceeded to stand in front of his grandson ?and child’s mother. The two latter then pushed the rope out, blocking the children’s view next to me in their pushchairs naturally resulting in their parents moving pushchair back from rope and holding children on the rope, one on shoulders. We did get a better spot and saw the second parade which seemed shorter than previous years – I didn’t see ‘the fairy godmother ‘ but loved the gingerbread men, reindeers and my favourite in this parade the marching Christmas soldiers. Mickey and Minnie in their birthday outfits. Saw Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration from a roped off wheelchair section on the righthand side of hub whilst lined up for Minnie’s Fireworks which didn’t really hold our interest but we loved the new firework show, some really great new effects in the air along with the Christmas music. Couldn’t see projections on castle very well so be interested watching our video back later. We were able to get cookies and hot chocolate with moving short lines but not many places had the hot chocolate. We left shortly after the last parade in order not to get stuck in crowds, which had at times been frightening on a scooter in the previous month, which proved a good move. We have decided it was the last time we will do the Chistmas and Halloween party for the extra prices asked and all the high prices for food and merchandise. As our annual pass had just expired we were unaware it cost an extra $69 for a photopass for this event.
My daughter and I were there for the deluge last Friday. The rain initially was manageable and she really enjoyed the overlay on the speedway, but the lack of shows and general sogginess of the evening made it sort of hard to get into the spirit for us. As veterans who have done the party many times we were able to cope (camping out in country bears three times in a row helped immensely) buy we overheard lots of very unhappy guests both during the party and during our bus ride back to CBR. Disney doesn’t control the weather (yet) but i do feel like more of an effort might have been made to offset the shortcomings of the offerings the rain necessitated. Free ponchos would have been a nice gesture, for instance. Overall I just feel sort of bad for first/only timers who attended this event the first night.
Tom, where did you buy your Disney Christmas sweater this year?
I need to go back and read your blog about the crowds at the Halloween party because as first timers this year, the Halloween party was a massive disappointment. We were also at Friday’s first Christmas party of the season. We have younger kids (10 and 7) so while we would have enjoyed the parades, fireworks, and special entertainment, we took the opportunity to ride with lower crowds and avoid the rain. However, by 10pm, my 10 year old was freezing and her wet shorts were causing some serious distress. Although I had prepared for the rain and had an umbrella and rain jackets, I didn’t prepare with extra clothes so we are now owners of some flashy Minnie Christmas leggings. If we lived closer, or had more time off school, I would try for a re-do and really experience the party. This was closer to an after hours event than a Christmas party for us. There needs to be snow on Main Street to really experience the full Christmas Party effect for us.
I have to add! The overlay on Space Mountain might be my favorite ever. It’s not my favorite ride mostly because I don’t care for not seeing where I’m going. The lighting is just enough to give you an idea of the twists and turns and it’s all set to music. My husband and I both got off commenting about how great it was.
Your first picture with the castle reflected in the center of the Main Street reflections is incredible, even for someone who takes as many beautiful pictures as you do. WOW!
That said, I just thought I was disappointed by my MVMCP experience last year when I regretted not bringing thermal underwear in the near-freezing weather, but this experience would have been even worse.
Thanks for the trip report. For what it’s worth, I’ve hated “Wonderful Christmastime” since long before it was cool to do so. 🙂 I wonder it the sentimentality-factor of the new show would increase watching it closer to actual Christmas instead of the week after Halloween. Time will tell!
It was a very rainy night filled with ups and downs. Our family was first timers and the highlight of our night was being right in front of the “frosted” castle during the parade- Peter Pan and a few others came over to my two young boys to “play” in the bubbles of their (overpriced) Mickey bubble makers. Besides that, the people mover was a nice distraction as my young boys and senior parents rode it 2-3 times to see all the Holiday decorations they could while staying (relatively) dry. And we actually scored a few mint cookies that hit the spot as we rode the ferry back to transportation 🙂 tastiest cookies ever 🙂 all in all, it was crazy and a bit disappointing, but we survived to tell our story 🙂
I like your sweater and Sarah’s Duffy bag. I am happy Country Bears still have a presence in the Christmas Party plus no major changes to the parade (I cringe when Disney shoehorns new IP into Halloween or Christmas parade like years past). I watched the live stream of new fireworks show. The projections were impressive and I like the addition of Minnie Mouse but I prefer the soundtrack of Holiday Wishes. The style of music of the new show (and Happily Ever After) doesnt tug at my heart strings like Holiday Wishes or original Wishes.